Voices of Fear: The Abduction of Activists in Tanzania

Fri Oct 31 2025 01:39:31 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A chilling account from Edgar Mwakabela, a Tanzanian activist, sheds light on the growing menace of political abductions in Tanzania, with increasing reports of violence and fear among critics of the government.

In a harrowing testament to the growing threat against political dissenters in Tanzania, social media activist Edgar Mwakabela details his recent kidnapping and near-fatal experience. Abducted by individuals he believes to be connected to government authorities, Sativa's story underscores a troubling trend in Tanzania, where opposition voices face abduction, torture, and even assassination as the elections approach. His survival story stands as a rare beacon amid countless accounts of enforced disappearances, leaving families in anguish over their missing loved ones amid an environment of fear and impunity.

Warning: This article contains details that some readers may find distressing.

Edgar Mwakabela, a social media activist known as Sativa, describes his terrifying abduction on a highway in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he faced brutal treatment at the hands of his captors. On June 23rd, he was taken across the country under harrowing circumstances.

Sativa was blindfolded, handcuffed, and severely beaten, receiving blows with a machete while being interrogated about his activism and criticism of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Four days later, while taken to the dangerous Katavi region, a chilling order from his captors led to a bullet being fired, severely injuring him and leaving him for dead. His story highlights the dire situation in Tanzania, particularly as the general elections approach, where abductions of anti-government critics are reportedly increasing.

While Sativa's survival is remarkable, it puts a spotlight on a disturbing trend where opposition figures face violence and enforced disappearances. Families of missing individuals, such as activist Shedrack Chaula, whom police admitted to investigating as possibly having a police link in his abduction, are left in torment without answers. Reports suggest over 200 enforced disappearances in Tanzania since 2019, with UN experts flagging the systematic torture employed against dissenters.

As the police investigate, many victims’ families grow weary, waiting for replies while the government denies allegations of involvement in these acts of oppression. Sativa’s case raises urgent questions about government accountability and the increasing fear faced by those pushing for reform and human rights in Tanzania.